Effect Of Dispossession On Aboriginal Spirituality

Separation from the land

The continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spirituality first originated during the European colonisation. This was a time where they were stripped off their land, separated from their children, and ties between communities were broken. These factors along with other aspects have most likely been damaging to Aboriginal Spirituality. ‘Terra Nullius’ first established in the White invasion was defined as ‘Land belonging to no one’. This term was used for land that was thought to be unoccupied despite the extricable link the Indigenous people share with it. The land is the physical place for Aboriginal people and their ancestral beings to connect. It holds tradition, cultural and ritual and is where the dreaming is based from. However, the continuing effect of being stripped from their land led to Aboriginal spirituality to fade. In source 1, the tie between ancestral beings and Aboriginal tribes is closely linked through the physical land. “Our ancestors travel with us all the time” shows the importance of the land as a physical being to preserve the culture and tradition with the ancestral beings.

Separation from kinship groups

Kinship groups establish the idea of governing relationships to maintain interaction to keep cultural beliefs and languages alive. With the continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spirituality, loss of identity and belonging are primary issues that were established from this concern. In source 1, it states “They should have been left with their people, with their beliefs, with their practices in their soil…” this demonstrates the post recognition of how the white invasion caused a loss of belonging, social behaviours, language and Aboriginal ritual and